Because she is always going the extra mile to make that phone call, text my phone, say the words I need to hear to make it through one.more.moment especially these last two hellacious weeks, but also always because that is just how she rolls.

She lit up my baby daughter's face with the purple flowers and bear she sent while she was in the hospital.

She is dedicated to all the ones she loves--her kids, her husband, her parents, her dachsies and even her friends.

So just as Chauncey has stepped up to the treadmill, I want to step up and take this opportunity to thank Hallie for all she has been and all she has done for me and my family yesterday, today and forever.

Kiereney lovingly calls her Aunt Hallie in the only way a child raised in Virginia can do..."Ont" Hallie instead of "Ant" Hallie.

She is our forever family and we love her to death along with the rest of her family including the BKs because I do believe they're all cut out of the same caring cloth.

Thanks, Hallie, for sending the Chauncey picture.

And thanks, Chauncey, for being a devoted dachshund dedicated to the one you love. God bless dachshunds everywhere.

You just can never miss an opportunity to tell the ones you love that you love them, because tomorrow waits for no one.

You know what - a year ago - I didn't know any of your names. And now I feel like we're family. Even if we haven't met. My day doesn't start until I check in on all of you. And I feel the same way - I couldn't have made it through many of my hardest and happiest times without all of you. And Hallie was one of the first "newbies" to sign my blog - so I feel like she opened the door for me to meet all of you. She's a pretty special gal.

Great Post, Ness.Since moving to Ohio 10 yrs ago, and being disabled, I haven't got a Best Friend anymore, and I miss that terribly. I do have David, and he is truly my best friend, but I miss having a female best friend, my age, to talk to, etc. I really enjoyed your post today. I am glad I have all ya'll!!!!

Praying for Our Soldiers

DachshundStrong

About Me

I'm a 60 y/o Missouri-born, Illinois-bred married mom of 3(37, 29 and 28), 1 of which(the 29 y/o son) was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army on 10 May 2008 and promoted to 1st Lieutenant in March 2010 and currently deployed to the Sinai Pennisula and returned in May 2011(which is where the Strong came in for my blog name-Army Strong)and now leaving at the end of June 2013 for an 18 month deployment as an aide de camp to a Colonel at the Embassy. He has made the rank of Captain. I love dachshunds, chihuahuas, orange cats, rainbows, quotes, music-total eclectic, and life in general. My blog friends make my life the joy it is. Also a thyroid cancer survivor of NINE years and hopefully counting. God is my pilot and my word for living is BELIEVE

Dachshunds Rule!

Proud Mother of an American Soldier

I am the mother of an American Soldier.I give my complete and unwavering support to my soldier.As my son serves the people of the United States, so I humbly offer up prayers for his safety and the safety and health of those he serves beside..I respect his choice to adhere to a strict moral code and a system of values that has preserved our country over two centuries.I accept that my soldier's first duty is to his country and I understand that this sacrifice he willingly makes is what keeps our nation great.I will never expect anything but the best from my soldier, for I know he is capable.I know that a soldier's heart is true and strong, and that my soldier will endure.I will never abandon my soldier, my son. I will love him unconditionally.He will know I am there with him, even when he is alone.I am disciplined, emotionally and mentally tough, learning to wait for phone calls and letters or emails home.I, like my soldier, am an expert.I stand ready to do whatever I can do to let my son, my soldier, know that we are here for him, behind him, we love him, and I will pray for the swift destruction of the enemies of our country.I am the person who stood guardian of this man who has become my soldier, now our guardian of freedom and the American way of life.I am the proud mother of an American Soldier

~Anonymous~

Quotes

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

You never know when you're making a memory.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am unwritten, can't read my mind.I'm undefined.I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned.Staring at the blank page before you-Open up the dirty window-Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find.Reaching for something in the distance-So close you can almost taste it.Release your inhibitions, feel the rain on your skin.No one else can feel it for you.Only you can let it in.No one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips.Drench yourself in words unspoken-Live your life with arms wide open.Today is,Today is, where your book beginsThe rest is still unwritten.--Natasha Bedingfield~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option. ~Author Unknown~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.-- Marianne Williamson~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Don't cry because it's over--smile because it happened.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~We Are Virginia Tech~Nikki Giovanni

We are Virginia Tech.We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning.

We are Virginia Tech.We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.

We are Virginia Tech.We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water, neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of the night in his crib in the home his father built with his own hands, being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized. No one deserves a tragedy.

We are Virginia Tech.The Hokie Nation embraces our own and reaches out with open hearts and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds. We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.

We are the Hokies.We will prevail.We will prevail.We will prevail.We are Virginia Tech~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Today we are all Hokies."

4/16/07God bless Virginia Tech, Hokie Nation and the families and friends who were changed by the senseless act of violence on that day. May the peace that passes all understanding be yours one day.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and agressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all it's sham drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you, and I wish you enough." The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom." They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking,but why is this a forever good-bye?". "I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said. "When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?" She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. "When we said, 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them." Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person,an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.

To all my friends and loved ones, I WISH YOU ENOUGH.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walk down the street. There is a hole.I don't see it. I fall in. It isn't my fault. It takes a very long time to get out.

I walk down the same street. There is still a deep hole. I pretend not to see it. I fall in. I pretend it's still not my fault. It takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street. There is still the same deep hole. I see it. I fall in anyway. It's a habit. I get out quicker this time.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole. I see it. I walk around it. I don't fall in.

I walk down a different street.

Portia Nelson~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May you be blessed with as much good as your heart can hold. May you always find a way to recognize what is important and holy in a life which can sometimes be painful. Life is a classroom and we are both the students and the teachers. May you find ways in which to learn from all of the experiences of your days, and may you sometimes stop to contemplate who your teachers are and who your students might be. Distinguish what is real, and hold fast to it. Balance.

Deb at Four Angels Mama-a very wise woman indeed.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blog Award

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From Kelly at Whirlwind Lodge dated 2/4/08

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From Hallie at Wonderul World of Wieners dated 1/27/08

NIU

We will never forget 2/14/08

Virginia Tech Hokies

We will never forget 4/16/07

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend...
He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning to the end.
He noted that fist came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears...
but he said that what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her know what that little line was worth.
For it matters not how much we own the cars... the house... the cash...
what matters is how we live and love and how we spent our dash.
So think about this long and hard are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down long enough to consider what's true and real...
and always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more...
love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?